A chronological deep dive into the past 30 years of feminine capitalist iconography, this is a pop feminism catalogue compiled for the millennial generation. Passable edutainment with a feminist bent but unlikely to come across as radical to anyone but the most mainstream liberals, though it does get points for explicitly naming intersectional feminism. Ranks somewhere between watching the Barbie movie and knitting a pink pussy hat in terms of personal enrichment.

What it lacks in depth, it mostly makes up for in breadth, punchiness, and accessibility, which is to say, the ability to easily recommend to media-loving friends looking for something more cerebral than a podcast but less challenging than reading theory. Gilbert is a journalist for The Atlantic, and this does read like a particularly long article designed to generate clicks from a mostly white liberal female readership. Fans of Sex and the City, The Kardashians, and Glossier will find a lot of relevant commentary here, if not an explicitly political call to action (really could’ve done without the passionate defenses of Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham though 🙄). Nostalgia carries a lot of this book, and millennial women will get a kick out of this mildly woke romp down memory lane even if it doesn’t bring much new to the table besides an updated Rolodex of examples of misogyny in pop culture.

The writing style is smooth and easily readable, but can lean unfocused and repetitive at times. I’m so used to Laura Bates’s writing when it comes to books covering feminist issues, which is crystal clear and laser-focused, and this doesn’t quite hold up to that standard. Although the chronological structure does help organize her thoughts, sometimes Gilbert gets lost in just describing the cultural phenomenon itself that it feels like we meander aimlessly through history for quite a lot of the book, making it feel less thematically cohesive. The book often feels more like a long list of increasingly shocking events with some cultural observations sprinkled in rather than a truly focused analysis. The sheer quantity of pop culture moments discussed and the extremely fast pace with which we move through them brings an almost frenetic energy to the book that can be hit or miss depending on the topic at hand.

Ultimately, this was not a hard read but just validated much of what I already know — a pretty comprehensive gender studies x media studies crossover event (probably should’ve gotten poli sci in the mix too) that treads familiar ground without committing to larger systemic critique. But despite not being its target audience, I do recognize the value of books that can act as a starting point for those just beginning to recognize signs of the patriarchy in everyday life, and this book, by incorporating familiar and comforting media in its messaging, will surely help cushion the blow of questioning everything about the world and your place in it. Things like the madonna-whore complex, capitalism’s commodification of the female body for profit, porn’s influence on mainstream media, the failure of girlboss and choice feminism, and the proliferation of incel ideology in male-centered media are not new ideas, but everyone needs to start somewhere, and this book is at least a non-harmful and convenient place to start.

Note: Chapter 6 (Final Girl: Extreme Sex, Art, and Violence in Post-9/11 America) contains detailed descriptions of hardcore porn acts and extreme physical violence/torture. Please read with caution as the content can be quite triggering.

”Lobster no longer knew what to think. Man or lobster, which was he?”

not for the faint-hearted, not even for the normal-hearted. Lobster is an absurd parable on how the flavour of vengeance and desire can taste strangely similar, as can love and consumption.

i entered with questions, and left with infinitely more questions. what are silly distinctions like species in the face of certain death? must we always be at war with either our instincts or rationality? what use is attempting to judge or analyse the insignificant things that make our short lives worth living?

”She didn’t want to apologise; wanted to make herself hated for what she was; definitively.”

certainly, this book is confident in its ability to be hated, and totally unapologetic about it.

If you have ever been curious about a "fantasy coffin" or an ancient mummy and wondered about the why behind the ritual, Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals offers a vibrant, illustrated map to the answers.

What This Book Does Well I did not expect a book on death culture to be so unexpectedly entertaining and remarkably accessible! Discussions of death often require a choice between a heavy, somber tone and a clinical, detached one; Liak finds a third path: light, occasionally humorous, but always respectful. It never "makes fun" of the customs it describes, instead treating every ritual as a vital piece of the human puzzle. The balance between text and illustration is handled really well. While some of the artwork is just beautiful, others are functional! For instance, there were some numbered diagrams that helped me really understand how Mexican ofrendas are set up. Throughout the book, I felt like I was being guided through a death culture museum by a curious, capable hand.

Where It Fell Short For me, this book didn't really fall short. While I enjoyed the brevity of each topic to explore more topics overall, just not as in depth as other books might have gone into, I could see some readers wanting a deeper dive into topics.

Craft & Writing Quality Liak's prose has a sharp, scientific curiosity to it, prioritizing the how and the what. The prose is clear, confident, and professional, but avoids the "academic" density that can slow things down.

Who I Would Recommend This To This book is for the reader who loves a "fun fact" and enjoys learning about different cultures. It reminded me of the scientific curiosity of Marcy Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, blended with the cultural exploration of Caitlin Doughty's From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death.

Final Thoughts and Opinions As someone with a long-standing interest in death positivity and death customs, I found Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals to be a genuine delight. It managed to surface new insights for me, even though I'm likely more familiar with these topics than most due to my interests! I particularly appreciated that it didn't feel "heavy". I could pick it up, learn about a specific custom or technique, and leave feeling enlightened rather than drained. The humor is subtle and effective, and the illustrations truly elevate the educational value while being fun and beautiful! It's a book that invites you to be "morbidly curious" in the best way possible!

My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the complimentary copy! All opinions are my own!

Scoring Breakdown Personal Enjoyment: 5/5 Overall Execution: 4.5/5 Craft & Writing Quality: 5/5 Author Presence & Credibility: 5/5 Narrative Arc: 4.5/5 Final Score: 4.8/5